sonicwfandomcom-20200216-history
Only Love Can Break a Heart
"Only Love Can Break a Heart" is the title of a popular song from 1962, performed by the American singer-songwriter Gene Pitney. The song was written by Hal David (words) and Burt Bacharach (music) and appears on Pitney's second album Only Love Can Break a Heart. Gene Pitney version Pitney had enjoyed some success as a songwriter prior to breaking through as a performer in his own right. He wrote the songs "Hello Mary Lou", "Rubber Ball", and "He's a Rebel", the last a number-one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 hit for The Crystals in 1962.Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications) Ironically, Pitney's success as a singer was beginning at this time, and, on 3 November 1962, "He's a Rebel" kept "Only Love Can Break a Heart", Pitney's highest charting hit, at #2 for one week, from topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart.Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)Casey Kasem noted that fact on the 24 May 1986 edition of American Top 40. The song also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart in October and November 1962,Hyatt, Wesley (1999). The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits (Billboard Publications) while reaching No. 2 on New Zealand's "Lever Hit Parade"."Lever Hit Parade" 15-Nov-1962, Flavour of New Zealand. Accessed October 21, 2015 Chart performance Country music versions Country music singers Sonny James and Kenny Dale also recorded cover versions of "Only Love Can Break a Heart". Both versions reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart during the 1970s. James' version peaked at No. 2 in March 1972, held out of the top by Freddie Hart's "My Hang-Up Is You." As a result, "Only Love ..." just missed continuing James' record-breaking streak of consecutive number-one singles, which had reached 16.Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944–2005," 2006. Dale's version of the song reached number seven on the Hot Country Singles chart in 1979 and it was his biggest hit on the country charts. Other versions Margaret Whiting charted with the song in 1967. Whiting's version reached No. 96 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 4 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.Margaret Whiting - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed October 21, 2015Margaret Whiting - Chart History - Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed October 21, 2015 Bobby Vinton released the song in 1977, and it reached No. 99 on the Billboard Hot 100,Bobby Vinton - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed October 21, 2015 while reaching No. 46 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart,Bobby Vinton - Chart History - Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed October 21, 2015 and No. 50 on the RPM "Adult Oriented Playlist" in Canada."RPM Adult Oriented Playlist", RPM, Volume 27, Ed. 13, June 25, 1977. p. 27. Accessed October 21, 2015 Vinton's version appears on his album The Name Is Love. Dionne Warwick released her version of the song as a single in 1977, but it only reached No. 9 on the "Bubbling Under" portion of the Billboard Hot 100. In 1999, Glen Campbell recorded the song on his album My Hits and Love Songs. See also *List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1962 (U.S.) References External links * *Single release info at discogs.com Category:1962 singles Category:1977 singles Category:Gene Pitney songs Category:Sonny James songs Category:Bobby Vinton songs Category:Dionne Warwick songs Category:Kenny Dale songs Category:Glen Campbell songs Category:Songs with lyrics by Hal David Category:Songs with music by Burt Bacharach Category:Billboard Adult Contemporary number-one singles Category:Musicor Records singles Category:1962 songs